Registered Dental Assistant

Modoc Medical Center•Canby, CA

21d•$25 - $36•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Clinic Manager, the Registered Dental Assistant performs duties such as preparing the patient for dental treatment, assisting the dentist at the chair in restorative dentistry or oral surgery, and preparing materials and setting up the correct equipment for the dentist’s use. The role is also responsible for maintaining patient flow and supervising other dental assistants. The dental assistant sterilizes instruments and helps establish a friendly, warm atmosphere for patients, keeping them calm and at ease. This position description is intended to identify some of the duties and responsibilities of this position. Modoc Medical Center reserves the right to modify, supplement, delete or augment the duties and responsibilities specified in this position description, at Modoc Medical Center’s sole and absolute discretion.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Current RDA license for state of California.
CE requirements met.
Current CPR certification.
Basic computer knowledge and proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
Ability to deal with people in a pleasant and courteous manner, even under stressful conditions.
Must be able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language, have good grammar, spelling, and the ability to be accurate.
Ability to work with others, at all levels within the organization, and collaborate effectively.
Above-average interpersonal, problem-solving and oral communication skills.
Must be able to work in a fast paced environment and maintain patient confidentiality, and be flexible to meet the needs of patients and co-workers.
Knowledge of Med-cal covered procedures an asset.
Answers phone calls and assists public in a professional and friendly manner.
Must maintain confidentiality relating to all MMC patients, including personnel.
Hands must be steady.
Requires active monitoring of status of presenting patients.
Keen listening skills.
Good personnel management.
Work is at times sedentary as well, requiring reaching and handling to process various types of forms.
Also requires fingering keyboards.
Talking and hearing are required to handle patient inquiries and the appointment process.
Near visual acuity.
Some lifting required.
Work requires quick mental acuity, memory, judgment and decision-making.
Can lift 35 pounds without assistance.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of Med-cal covered procedures an asset.

Responsibilities

Aids the dentist in the administration of treatment through proper chairside procedure.
Maintains responsibility and obligation primarily with the dental practitioner.
Remains with the dentist while he/she is with a patient to assist with the procedure.
Provides proper instruments, at the correct time in the proper sequence for any given treatment procedure.
Prepares dental material correctly, as needed, and in the amount of time sufficient for the procedure but not so much as to allow wasting of materials.
Maintains a clean, sterile, and neat working environment.
Makes sure that all forms for consent are signed by the patient.
Takes necessary course to take dental x-rays in California.
Completes all chairside clean-up procedures before any patient is seated.
Disinfects any portion of the dental chair exposed to saliva or the oral cavity before any patient is seated.
Sterilizes every item according to its correct sterilization procedures.
Changes gloves before each patient is treated.
Acquainting the patient with the aspects of their dental visit, and providing support and compassion to that patient when it is needed.
Following the directions and responsibilities associated with the dental assistant’s rotating assignments as delegated.
Cleans and organized lab.
Cleans and maintains equipment.
Stocks rooms and puts in order tabs.
Examine orthodontic appliances.
Operate radiographic equipment.
Mouth-mirror inspection of oral cavity, including charting of obvious lesions, existing restorations, and missing teeth.
Placement and removal of temporary sedative dressings.
Obtains endodontic cultures.
Dry canals, previously opened by the supervising dentist, with absorbent points.
Test pulp vitality.
Place bases and liners on sound dentin.
Removes excess cement from supragingival surfaces of teeth.
Sizing of stainless steel crowns, temporary crowns and bands.
Fabrication, cementation, and removal of temporary crowns/fillings intra-orally, or orthodontic bands (with certification).
Placement of orthodontic separators.
Placement and ligation of arch wires.
Placement of post-extraction and periodontal dressings.
Apply bleaching agents.
Coronal polishing (with certification).
Determination that the teeth to be polished are free of calculus or other extraneous material prior to coronal polishing.
Removal of excess cement from coronal surfaces of teeth under orthodontic treatment by means of an ultrasonic scaler (requires certification).
Trains and supervises other dental assistants.
Take impressions for diagnostic and opposing models, bleaching trays, temporary crowns and bridges, and sports guards.
Apply non-aerosol and non-caustic topical agents.
Remove post-extraction and periodontal dressings.
Remove orthodontic separators.
Assist in the administration of nitrous oxide analgesia or sedation; however, a dental assistant shall not start the administration of the gases and shall not adjust the flow of the gases unless instructed to do so by the dentist, who shall be present at the patient’s chairside at the implementation of these instructions. This regulation shall not be constructed to prevent any person from taking appropriate action in the event of a medical emergency.
Hold anterior matrices.
Remove sutures.
Take intra-oral measurements for orthodontic procedures.
Seat adjusted retainers or headgear, including appropriate instructions.
Check for loose bands.
Remove arch wires.
Remove ligature ties.
Apply topical fluoride, after scaling and polishing by the supervising dentist or a registered dental hygienist.
Place and remove rubber dams.
Place, wedge and remove matrices.
Cure restorative or orthodontic materials in operative site with light-curing device.
Educate any patient about his/her dental treatment according to directions from the dentist.
May perform many lab duties that the dentist teaches, such as making custom tray.
Attends staff meetings.
Utilizes facility procedure manuals or reference materials as appropriate.
Seats patients, verifies patient Medical history, medications, chief complaint, and updates information in computer programs.
Print schedule for next day’s appointments and distributes these to respective provider locations.
Communicates appropriately, respectfully, and clearly to doctors, managers, and coworkers.
Schedules appointments attempting to keep a smooth patient flow.
Sends referrals to other agencies.
Sends requests for pre-authorization to insurance companies.
Makes sure patient has a medical clearance as needed.
Will pull charts ahead of each dental day, and check forms to see if they need to be updated.
Files charts and x-rays after each dental day.
Performs all assigned tasks accurately.
Maintains daily patient log.
Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to do extra work as needed on an interim basis.
May be cross-trained for other positions and may be required to work in those positions as needed.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Adheres to dress code; appearance is neat and professional.
Must wear scrubs and closed toed shoes.
Wears X-ray badge.
Completes annual education requirements if applicable.
Maintains regulatory requirements.
Wears identification while on duty.
Attends annual evaluation and participates actively in this process.
Reports to work on time and as scheduled; completes work in designated time.
Attends all meetings as appropriate.
Exhibits the mission, ethics and goals of Modoc Medical Center in the performance of job duties.